Shea Holbrook takes first win at Long Beach

Shea Holbrook has taken her first touring class win in the Pirelli World Challenge series after Rafael Navarro was disqualified for a technical infringement.

Holbrook had already secured her career best result with second place, in her second year in the championship, but was delighted with the win after a troubled opening round at St. Petersburg where her original car was wrecked.

“I’ve had a rough start to the year,” said Holbrook.

“We came here in yet another car, and that was stressful. I’m also a full time student, and I had a lot going on. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if was prepared for this weekend. It just all fell into place. All of our hard work had finally paid off. And to be top dog at the Grand Prix of Long Beach is just amazing. I’m at a loss for words.”

Devin Cates was classified second in his Cates Engineering Volkswagen Golf GTI, with Robb Holland finishing on the podium in the K-PAX Racing Volvo C30.

Championship leader Lawson Aschenbach had started from pole position in the Compass360 Racing Honda Civic Si, but was caught up in a crash on the first lap with the other Volvo of Aaron Povoledo and Ronald Zitsa’s Zotz Racing Volkswagen Jetta.

Zitsa and Aschenbach were out straight away, but Aschenbach still comes away from Long Beach with the championship lead after a strong opening round at St. Petersburg and classified in eighth at Long Beach after a low turnout, 89 points ahead of Cates, with Holbrook now third, 115 points adrift.

The next round of the championship is at the Miller Motorsports Park in Utah on May 1st.